The grass is always greener on the other side. People with curly hair, long for smooth, straight hair. Those born with straight hair invest in perms to give their hair bounce and waves. Porcelain skinned consumers spend hours creating deep, dark and tanned skin. And so it goes, many of those with naturally dark skin try to lighten their skin tone.

The trouble with trying to whiten your skin is it can be harmful and dangerous. Many skin bleaching products contain dangerous chemicals that are harmful both short and long term. Lighter skin at the cost of your health is not a viable solution.

Skin gets its colour based on the amount of melanin your body produces. Those with high melanin levels will naturally have darker skin. It’s a genetic fact. So, if you really want a safe and effective solution to make your skin whiter, reducing the melanin your body produces is the best way to achieve this.

Nature is a bounty of beauty remedies that do all kinds of things. Yes, there are natural substances that will block melanin production and give you whiter skin.

One derivative from plants that is used widely in Asia, India and Europe is cyperus rotundus, colloquially termed as extrapone nutgrass root. While some countries consider this plant to be a weed, it is nevertheless proving to be an effective way to reduce the production of melanin. In fact, studies have shown that even in extremely low doses, the body’s melanin production is reduced by over 40%. That’s some pretty dramatic results.

If you’re going to pursue a skin whitening plan, it’s best to find natural products that won’t cause damage to your skin or harm your health. One of the biggest factors in dark skin is the sunlight, since it activates the production of melanin. So, arm yourself with a strong sunblock for your face and body and wear a hat and loose clothing if you venture outdoors.

When you find a skin whitening agent, be sure to research the ingredients before using it. Be certain that it doesn’t have any cancer causing ingredients or other bi-products that will be dangerous to your skin and your health.